1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shut-off device used when break-out of melt occurs in a horizontal continuous casting apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a continuous casting process using a horizontal continuous casting apparatus, melt suddenly breaks out of a cooling mold in the stage of the starting of casting or during the casting process. Such undesirable sudden accidents are ascribable to the entering of a high temperature melt, failures in solidification, excessively increased casting rate, etc.
Heretofore, the break-out of melt has been visually detected and when the break-out occurs, a conduit or a passageway of the melt flow is blocked immediately by manually inserting a stopper therein in order to prevent further break-out of a large quantity of the melt.
In a such conventional apparatus, when operators are working away from the apparatus, the foregoing accidents can not be immediately found. Therefore, a large amount of melt bleeds and the used apparatus and its surrounding area are seriously damaged. In addition to the inconvenience, further disastrous accidents, such as steam explosion, may be also caused.